Stop motion for winding machine



March 29, 1960 Filed Oct. 19, 1956 H. M. MILLER STOP MOTION FOR WINDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Figl INVENTQR. HAROLD M. MILLER.

March 29, 1960 H. M. MILLER swoz= MOTION FOR WINDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1956 INVENTOR.

arch 29, 1960 H. M. MILLER 2,930,538

STOF MOTION FOR WINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 l 19 3 K x I.\' 'IiNTOR. HAROLD M. MILLER.

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March 29, 1960 H. M. MILLER 2,930,538 STOP MOTION FOR WINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. HAROLD M. MILLER.

March 29, 1960 H. M. MILLER 2, 3

STOP MOTION FOR WINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 POWER WIRES 3 I SOLENOID 1 DROP WIRES INVENTOR.

HAROLD M. MILLER. 56* BY 0'1 KN OFF 6 TCH v A'Tfil.

March 29, 1960 H M, WLLER 2,930,538

STOP MOTION FOR WINDING MACHINE Filed on. 19, 1956 e Sheets-Sheet s .1. INVENTOR.

HAROLD M. MILLER.

aw-9M 1 Claim. (Cl. 24233) Mass, assignor to Whitin Mass, a corporation of This improvement relates to a spool holder stop motion for a winding machine in which one or more threads are wound on each spool. Each spool is supported on centers in the free ends of a pair of pivotally mounted arms which yieldingly urge the spool into engagement with a driven drum. A single thread or a plurality of threads may be wound onto each spool, and each spool is independently rotated and controlled.

It is the general object of this invention to provide improved means for withdrawing a spool from engagement with its driving drum and for quickly stopping the rotation of the spool when a broken thread occurs, and also when a predetermined number of yards of thread has been wound on the spool.

Improved means is also provided for automatically adjusting the stop motion to an increasing yarn mass on each spool.

Means is also provided for resetting the stop motion when a full spool is replaced.

This invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation, showing part of a winding machine and an associated spool holder;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. I;

Fig. 3 is an end view of additional yarn-feeding parts, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front view of a spool holder;

Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation, taken along the line 55 in Fig. 4 and showing the position of certain parts when the spool is in contact with the driving drum;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the parts in the position which they assume when one of the threads breaks or when the yarn mass on the spool has reached a predetermined size;

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram of the electrical connections of the stop motion; A

Fig. 8 is a partial sectional front elevation, taken along the line 88 in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional front elevation of a spool-supporting center.

Fig. 1 shows a part of a spool-winder, including a frame end in and longitudinal side frame members 11, 12 and 13. The end 1.!) houses driving mechanism for rotating a drum shaft 14-, and also houses cam mechanism for traversing a thread guide rod 15.

There are several winding stations along the two sides of the machine, but only one station is herein shown as supporting one of the spools S onwhich the threads are wound.

Each spool S is rotatably supported by centers mounted in arms 16 and 17 (Fig. l) which are secured to a short shaft 38 pivotally mounted in bearings on a stand 19 secured by bolts 20 to the frame member 13. The spool S is rotated by contact with the associated driving drum ice 2 21 (Fig. 2) which is mounted on a shaft 14.

The threads T to be wound on the spool S may be sup.- plied from bobbins or packages 22 (Fig. 3) supported on skewers 23 in a creel 24. The threads T pass under guide-rolls 25 and 26, then up and over another roll or rod 27, and thence down to a thread guide 28 mounted on the traverse rod 15. The guide 28 traverses the thread in the usual manner along the barrel of thespool S and between its flanges 29 and 30 (Fig. 1). A

Drop wires or heddles 31, one for each thread, are mounted in a trip box 32 that is wired to an electronic control relay 33 (Fig. 7). The drop wires are o fusual form.

Although the supply bobbins or packages 22 are shown in a creel which is a part of the winder, these packages may be mounted in a floor creel, and the trip box 32 and its heddles 31 would then be attached to said floor creel. In either case, the threads T will be drawn over the rod 27 (Fig. 3) and down to the thread guide 28.

The centers 35 and 36 (Fig. 4) are carried by the arms 16 and 17 and have gudgeons 37 and 38 which fit into openings in the ends of the spool S.

A sectional view of one center, as 35, is shown in Fig. 9. This center consists of a gudgeon 37, a flange 39, and a hub 40. The center is recessed to receive a ball bearing 41 and an inner bearing 42, both of which surround a stud 43 that is fixed on the arm 16 (Fig. 8). The center 35 is thus freely rotatable upon the stud 43. Cemented to the flange 39 is a washer 44 of rubber .or other resilient material.

The center 36 (Fig. 4) is similar to the center 35 but has its supporting stud fixed to a sleeve 45 which is slidable in the hub 4c of the arm 17. The hub is slotted at 47 to receive a handle 48 which is threaded into the sleeve 45.

A sleeve-locking member or latch 49, is pivoted ,at 50 to the arm 17 (Fig. 2), and lies in a transverse slot 46a in the hub 46. The associated sleeve .45 is thus securely locked in the arm 17, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The sleeve 45 in its spool-clamping position is shown in Figs. 1 and 4, with the handle 48 at the left end of the slot 47 and with the latch 49 lying in the slot 46a in the sleeve 46 (Fig. 2) and in a similar slot in the sleeve ommon dri in 45. The latch is kept from rising out of the slot in the sleeve by a spring-actuated plunger 50a (Fig. 2).

The flange 39 of the center 35 (Fig. 8) is preferably provided with a lug 51 which engages a slot.or opening in the end of the spool S to prevent lost motion between the center and the spool.

The resilient washer 44a (Fig. 4) on the flange 39 of the center 36 is preferably thicker than the washer 44 on the flange of the center 35 and has enough resiliency to compensate for variations in spool length. Secured to the arm 17 (Fig. 2) is a bracket 52 having a shelf 53 which supports the end of the spool S when the gudgeon 38 is withdrawn from the spool.

A cam 55 (Fig. 2) is movable with the shaftl-S and may be conveniently secured to the hub 54 of'thearm 17. This cam 55 operates a switch 56 when the spool is full.

The switch 56 is wired to the electronic control relay 33 (Fig.7).

The arm 16 (Fig. 5) has a recessed portion 57 enclosed by a cover 58 (Fig. 8) and has a second recessed portion 59 enclosed bya cover 60. The hub 40 ofthe center 35 (Fig. 5) is located within the recessed portion 57, and a brake shoe 61 is pivoted at 62 to the arm 16 immediately below the hub 40. The brake shoe 61 has a brake lining 63. V

A lever 64 is freely mounted on the shaftjlS (Fig. 8) and has an offset portion extending into the recess 57 through an opening 65 in the cover 58. :A stud d7; (Fig.

on the free end of the lever 64 is pivotally connected by a link 66 to the free end of the brake shoe 61. The stud 67 also supports a roll 68 and a manual operated reset link 69 that extends through an opening 76 to the outside of the arm 16.

A trigger 71 (Fig. 6) having a nose 72 is pivoted at 73 to the arm 16. A twist spring 74 has one end engaging the trigger and its other end engaging the arm 16 within the recess 57 (Fig. 5). The trigger 71 is provided with a ledge 75, and the twist spring swings the trigger clockwise until the ledge abuts against a stop pin 76 fixed in the arm 16. The spring 74 thus keeps the nose of the trigger in normal raised position for contact by the roll 68.

The manual reset link 69 (Fig. 6) is notched at 77 to engage a catch 78 fixed to the arm 16. When so engaged, the link 69 will hold the roll 68 out of the path of the trigger nose 72 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

In the recessed portion 59 (Fig. 8) in the arm 16 there is mounted a solenoid 79 whose plunger 80 is connected by a link 81 to the trigger 71 (Fig. 5). The solenoid 79, together with the trip box 32 and the switch 56, are wired to the electronic control relay 33 (Fig. 7).

One side of the lever 64 (Fig. 5) is provided with a stud 82 which is partially encircled by one end of a tension spring 83. The other end of the spring 83 is fastened to the head of a bolt 84 which passes through an opening in the fixed frame member 12. The tension imposed upon the lever 64 by the spring 83 may be regulated by an adjusting nut 85.

A stud 86 (Fig. 8) is fixed to the opposite Side of the lever 64 and is partially encircled by one end of another tension spring 87 (Fig. 5). The other end of the spring 87 passes through an opening 88 in the arm 16 and around a pin 89 on the outside of the arm, with the pin 89 crossing the opening 88.

The lever 64 (Fig. 6) is further provided with a segmental ratchet 90 whose teeth underlie a pawl 91 pivoted on a stud 92 secured to a bracket 93 (Fig. 8). The bracket 93 is fastened by a bolt 94 to one of the hearings in the stand 19. The pawl 91 is provided with a handle 95 (Fig. 6) for raising the pawl out of the path of the teeth of the ratchet .90 for a purpose hereinafter explained.

A collar 96 (Fig. 4) is secured to the shaft 18 and has arms 96a and 96b that straddle a rib 97 formed on the stand 19, and thus limit the movements of the spoolsupporting arms.

Should the ratchet pawl 91 be accidentally lifted out of engagement with the teeth on the ratchet 90 when there is no spool between the arms 16 and 17 (Fig. 4), the collar arm 96a will engage one side of the rib 97, thereby preventing the centers 35 and 36 from striking against the drum 21.

The other collar arm 96b will engage the opposite side of the rib 97 to limit the outer position of the arms 16 and 17 and the spool S when a spool is to be removed or inserted and for convenience in piecing the ends of a broken thread T.

Operation The winder is assumed to be in operation, and the spool S to. be about three quarters full as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, and the threads T are supporting the heddles 31 in the trip box 32, so that the circuit is open between the trip box and the relay 33. The trigger 71 is in the position shown in Fig. 5, and the nose 72 of the trigger is engaged'by the roll 68 of the lever 64. The tension of the spring 83 is applied through the lever 64 and arm 16 to pull the spool S against its driving drum 21. The brake shoe 61 is held clear of the hub 40 of the center 35.

As the spool builds up, the entire spool assembly of Fig. 5 swings gradually to the left, during which time the pawl 91 is allowed to slip over successive teeth of the ratchet 90.

The assembly continues to swing to the left until the spool S is full, whereupon the cam 55 actuates the switch 56 to close a circuit in the relay 33 and to thereby energize the solenoid 79. The solenoid 79 then acts through the link 81 (Fig. 8) to pull the nose of the trigger 71 downwardly and away from the roll 68 (Fig. 6). The spring 83 then swings the lever 64 to the right until arrested by engagement of the pawl 91 with the next adjacent ratchet tooth. The spring 87 immediately swings the arm 16 anti-clockwise and causes the brake shoe 61, through its connection with the link 66 and the lever 64, to engage the hub 40 of the center 35 and thus stop rotation of the spool S.

Should a thread T break, its heddle 31 will drop and close the circuit in the relay to energize the solenoid and stop the spool just exactly as happens when a spool is full.

The distance .1: (Fig. 6) between the drum 21 and the wound coils c on the withdrawn spool will be substantially the same, regardless of the number of coils wound on the spool, because when the thread break occurs, the pawl 91 will always come in contact with the nearest tooth on the ratchet at the time of the thread break.

To tie the ends of the broken thread, the operator swings the arm 16 and lever 64 as a unit a little further anti-clockwise (Fig. 6) until the collar arm 96a engages the rib 97 on the stand 19. The arm and lever unit will be locked in this position by engagement of the pawl 91 with the ratchet tooth which is then nearest to it.

The unit in this position allows ample space between the spool and its driving drum for the operator to piece together the ends of the broken thread.

The operator next pushes the arm 16 clockwise, the lever 64 meantime being held stationary by the pawl 91. This aliows the catch 78 to enter the notch 77 in the lever 69. The relative position of the arm 16 to the lever 64 will then be similar to that shown in Fig. 5, except that the nose of the trigger will be clear of the roll 68. The broken thread having been repaired, the operator then turns the spool clockwise to tighten the threads T and raise the heddles 31 to their normal or inoperative position.

The arm and lever unit and spool are then returned to the winding position (Fig. 5) by the operator who first moves the arm 16 and lever 64 as a unit slightly anticlockwise by one hand, and with the other hand raises the pawl 91 by its handle to clear the teeth of the ratchet 90. This allows the operator to then swing the unit clockwise until the spool is again in contact with the driving drum 21.

As the arm and lever unit is moved to its winding position, the cam 55 opens the switch 56, whereupon the solenoid in the arm 16 is tie-energized. This allows the spring 74 to swing the trigger clockwise until its ledge 75 abuts against the stop pin 76 fixed in the arm 16 (Fig. 5).

The normal relationship between the arm 16 and the lever 64 is then restored by the operator lifting the end of the reset link 69. lts notch 77 is then clear of the catch 78, allowing the roll 68 to again engage the nose 72 of the trigger, as shown in Fig. 5. The pawl 91 then rests upon the ratchet 90.

When the new spool is full, the cam 55 will again move the switch 56 to close the relay circuit and thereby energize the solenoid to initiate the same sequence of operations.

The full spool is removed from the machine by the operator first lifting the latch 49 out of the slot in the sleeve 45 and pushing the sleeve, by its handle 48, to the right in Figs. 1 and 4 until the handle is at the right end of the slot 47. The gudgeon 38 of the center 36 will then have been retracted from the spool and will lie with in the hub 46 of the arm 17, whereupon the right end of the spool (Fig. 1) will drop and rest on the shelf 53. The operator next moves the spool to the right (Fig. 1) far enough to clear the gudgeon of the center 35 and allow the spool to be lifted out of the machine.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claim, but what I claim is:

In a stop motion mechanism for a spool winding machine in which a spool is rotated by contact with a continuously rotated drum and in which indicating means responsive to a broken thread, stopping means effective to remove the spool from drum contact, and braking means eifective to quickly stop rotation of said spool are provided, that improvement which comprises a pivoted and swingable arm having spool-supporting means including a hub thereon, a lever pivoted coaxially with said arm, means for normally locking said lever to swing with said arm, a brake shoe pivoted to said arm and yieldably engageable with said hub but normally held spaced therefrom, means to release said lever to swing relative to said arm on thread breakage, a tension spring interposed between said arm and said lever and efiec'tive to swing said lever relative to said arm when said lever is released therefrom, a link interposed between said lever and said brake shoe and efiective to apply brake pressure to said drum when said lever is released from said arm, a ratchet fixed on said arm, and a pawl mounted on a fixed pivot and engageable with said ratchet to limit return swing of the spool toward the drum when said lever is released from 10 said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

